My Story

Welcome to A Pinch of Nurse, my food blog dream! My name is Andrea and I am the author and recipe developer of A Pinch of Nurse. I am so grateful that you stumbled upon my food blog, welcome! I strive to create flavorful meals that are made with seasonal, whole, fresh, healthy, and simple ingredients. Many of my recipes are motivated by my travels around the world, re-inventing the dishes that inspired me and adding my own creative flare with a healthy twist. I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada and continue to reside here (in between gallivanting across the world and getting recipe inspiration that is) and I have an outstanding husband who supports everything I do and this blog wouldn’t be possible without his help. He also is a much better photographer than I!

Hiking the pilgrimage route in Kumano, Japan.

When I’m not making a mess in the kitchen, I am a Registered Nurse and work in a pediatric hospital! I truly love my job and it allows me to appreciate the important moments in life, inspires me to live in the moment and pursue my many dreams (one being this blog)! I am reminded daily that we have one body, so let’s fill it with delicious, nutritious and wholesome food to maximize our potential. I am a spinning and yoga enthusiast, I love to run in local city parks, take long walks, hike in the gorgeous Rocky mountains, play competitive soccer, really anything that gets my heart pumping and gets me outdoors is a happy place for me. With any spare time I love to balance out with an intriguing book, listen to music, volunteer around the world, bask in the sun, sip on espresso, mow down sushi, connect with friends and family at favorite cafes/restaurants, dig through fresh produce at the farmers market, watch the cooking channel and of course, plan the next trip!

I’ve had the privilege of visiting over 25 countries and hundreds of cities, I aspire to share my travel stories through my food. Visiting other countries and immersing myself in the countless intriguing cultures sparks something magical inside of me, it creates a positive change in my soul, it is my calling and ignites happiness that is overwhelming at times. There is something life changing in hearing different languages surround you, closing your eyes and taking in new smells, trialing new tastes and ingredients in ways never imagined, getting lost in cities and exploring new territory. There are so many places I cannot wait to explore and cuisines I need to sample!

In starting a food blog you obviously need to have a passion for food… mine is actually more of an obsession I would say. I wake up thinking about what new recipe/creation I can put to the test and my mind gathers the ingredients I have in my kitchen. I ponder the never ending potential for each ingredient and hope my vision transpires! Food captivates me and has the ability to make my imagination go wild and I adore that I can express my creativity in each dish. My friends, family and coworkers are endlessly asking me what I’ve got on the menu for the day in my cute floral lunchbox, after I share a bite…(if I have any left) they always ask for the recipe. A Pinch of Nurse allows me to post my recipes and the travel ingenuity behind them for you to try, how remarkable is that?! I am an advocate for an ongoing healthy, but intuitive and balanced eating lifestyle. I know this can be difficult to maintain if you get bored of the same old recipes, so let’s spice things up!

Crushing sushi at a sushi boat in Tokyo, Japan.

I would be delighted if you tried a recipe or two and shared your thoughts with me. Let the flavors and ingredients take you to your happy place! Food is the center of our existence, our fuel to keep up with our hectic lives, it enables our bodies and brains to stay healthy, vitalized and strong. Food is the center of most beloved moments in life, family gatherings, time with friends, simple social events, holidays etc… wow did you realize a lot of our lives are based around… yep you got it… FOOD. So, let’s make love filled, delicious, nutritious and travel ambitious dishes together that you can feel good about eating and lets nourish our extraordinary bodies!